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| Date: From: Subject: | 6/6/2003 3:31:05 PM Home School Legal Defense Association New York--State College Policy Discriminates Against Homeschoolers; Calls Needed |
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- June 6, 2003 Dear HSLDA Members and Friends, Do you want your child to have the option of going to college in New York someday? Do want his homeschool diploma to mean something? Then please contact your Board of Regents member to help stop the unnecessary discrimination against homeschool graduates seeking admission to colleges in New York. Starting this past year, New York is the only state with a statewide policy requiring homeschool graduates to obtain a GED or a letter of recognition from their local public school district to gain admission to college. Homeschoolers already in college must now pass GED test to graduate! Let's stop this discrimination by informing the Board of Regents who govern the college system in New York and asking them to change this policy. REQUESTED ACTION Please contact your Board of Regent and the at-large members and deliver this message: "Please rescind the newly enforced policy issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Higher Education (Oct. 11, 2002) regarding homeschool graduates seeking admission to college and financial aid. This policy discriminates against students with homeschool diplomas and forces them to obtain a letter of recognition from the public school (who usually do not give these letters) or obtain a GED. A GED carries the stigma of a drop out; homeschool graduates are high school graduates." Write or call the Board of Regents below: Robert M. Bennett, Chancellor - Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming 201 Millwood Lane Tonawanda, NY 14150 Phone: (716) 694-6783 Adelaide L. Sanford, Vice Chancellor - At Large New York State Education Department 55 Hanson Place Brooklyn, NY 11217-1580 Phone: (718) 722-2807 Diane O'Neill McGivern - Kings and Richmond 95 West Entry Road, Country Club Grounds Staten Island, NY 10304 Phone: (718) 667-6334 Saul B. Cohen - At Large 82 Taymil Road New Rochelle, NY 10804 Phone: (914) 633-7889 James C. Dawson - Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, St. Lawrence, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren and Washington 2 Birchwood Drive Peru, NY 12972 Phone: (518) 643-9289 Robert M. Johnson - Nassau and Suffolk 2 Skunk Hollow Road Huntington, NY 11743 Phone: (212) 229-7200 Anthony S. Bottar - Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Oneida, Onondaga, and Oswego 407 South Warren Street Syracuse, NY 13202 Phone: (315) 422-3466 Merryl H. Tisch - At Large 9 East 79th Street New York, N.Y. 10021 Phone: (212) 879-9414 Geraldine Chapey, - Queens 107-10 Shore Front Parkway, Apt. 9C Belle Harbor, NY 11694 Phone: (718) 634-8471 Arnold B. Gardner - At Large 120 Delaware Avenue Buffalo, N.Y. 14202 Phone: (716) 845-6000 Harry Phillips III - Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland and Westchester 71 Hawthorne Way Hartsdale, NY 10530 Phone: (914) 948-2228 Joseph E. Bowman, Jr.- Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Schoharie, Sullivan and Ulster ED 124, School of Education, University at Albany 1400 Washington Avenue Albany, NY 12222 Phone: (518) 442-4987 Lorraine A. Cortes-Vazquez - Bronx 130 William Street, 9th Floor Manhattan, N.Y. 10038 Phone (212) 233-8955 Judith O. Rubin Judicial District I - New York 911 Park Avenue New York, NY 10021 Phone (212) 535-6942 James R. Tallon, Jr - Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Madison, Otsego, Schuyler, Tioga, Tompkins United Hospital Fund, Empire State Building 350 Fifth Avenue, 23rd Floor New York, N.Y. 10118-0110 Phone (212) 494-0777 Milton L. Cofield - Cayuga, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Seneca, Steuben, Wayne, Yates 98 Hickory Ridge Road Rochester, N.Y. 14625 Phone (585) 248-8494 BACKGROUND Beginning in the 2002-03 school year, homeschoolers are seeing an increase in discrimination as a result of the implementation of a previously dormant New York State Education Department policy. This policy is preventing colleges from recognizing a 9-12 grade homeschool education as being sufficient to enroll in either a State University of New York or community college. The Board of Regents Rule causing the most trouble at this time, is found in section 3.47(a) of Chapter 1 of Title 8, which states: "no earned degree shall be conferred unless the candidate has had a preliminary education of at least a four year high school course, or its equivalent, as determined by the Commissioner. Satisfactory evidence of such preliminary education must be offered before beginning the course of study for the degree." This means a private diploma issued by the parent, which millions of homeschool students across the U.S. receive, is not recognized by the state of New York. The Deputy Commissioner of Higher Education has issued a policy statement Oct. 2002 saying a homeschooler must produce either a GED, a letter from their school district recognizing the legitimacy of their academic program, or they must enroll in a special GED program that requires completion of 24 specific credit hours in college. Homeschoolers often do not want to obtain a GED since it carries with it the stigma of a dropout. Homeschoolers are not dropouts; they are completing a full high school education. In addition, most school districts refuse to provide any such documentation because of the liabilities involved. They will not recognize any homeschool program as sufficient, even if the family has followed the requirements of the law. The "special" GED option is difficult for many homeschool students who do not want to take all of the 24 credit hours required. This makes it difficult for them to complete their majors in fields other than those covered by the 24 credit hours. Homeschoolers are also facing colleges who refuse to grant them financial aid, even though they are completely eligible. Although there are some state-specific grants and financial aid monies available governed by state law, many of these colleges are violating the federal Higher Education Act, which clearly states that any student who "has completed a high school education in a homeschool setting" is eligible for federal financial aid. The U.S. Department of Education allows for homeschoolers to self-certify their homeschool diplomas. Colleges should ask no further questions and place no additional obstacles before homeschoolers seeking financial aid. The Home School Legal Defense Association has represented many homeschool graduates who are refused entry into state colleges. All studies done at this point show that homeschoolers generally score above average on standardized achievement tests in both elementary and secondary levels. Furthermore, studies completed at universities show that homeschool graduates have higher grade point averages than graduates from traditional schools. This demonstrates only one thing: homeschooling works. We are working with Rich and Pam Stauter and Patti Ownes of New York's Loving Education At Home (LEAH) to resolve this. I have drafted legislation which will be introduced next year to change this discriminatory policy. Also LEAH, lobbyist Duane Motley, and I have met with the Deputy Commissioner of Education and others to inform him of the current discrimination against homeschoolers. They have indicated an interest in resolving this problem. State universities and community colleges in New York should be open to all students. Thanks for standing with us for freedom! Sincerely, Chris Klicka HSLDA Senior Counsel {{JoinAd}} ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. 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